In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants: It’s About Time

Tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants are lining up around the country to take advantage of “Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals”, the program recently announced by President Obama that allows young people who entered the country illegally as children to remain and work or attend school without fear of deportation for at least two years.

Here in Massachusetts, these “Dreamers” are discriminated against by having to pay out-of-state tuition to attend a public college. This effectively closes the door on higher education for most of them. PHENOM has long worked with the Student Immigrant Movement and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition in fighting for “in-state tuition” — the right of all Massachusetts high school graduates to pay the same rate to attend a public college or university. That’s how it works in California, Texas, and 11 other states. We are lagging behind.

With the President taking a bold step with an executive order, this would appear to be the right time for the Governor and/or the Legislature to take similar action and bring this measure of justice and fairness to our immigrant community.